IMPOLICY 


OF  BUILDING 


ANOTHER  RAIL  ROAD 


BETWEEN 


('  ft 

WASHINGTON  AND  NEW  YORK. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

KING  &  BAIRD,  PRINTERS,  No.  607  SANSOM  STREET. 

MDCCCLXIV. 


0-5"  «+=> > J  if  8h, 


Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Bail  Eoad. 

Philadelphia,  February  9th,  1804. 

Wow.  CXwvvYes  Svvmwev*. 

1)eah  Sir  : 

No  one  appreciates  more  fully  than  myself 
the  importance  of  a  safe,  expeditions  and 
comfortable  route  between  Washington  and 
New  York,  and  no  effort  has  been  spared  by 
the  Company,  which  I  represent,  to  attain 
that  result. 

The  establishment  of  a  double  track  between 
Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  is  already  far  ad¬ 
vanced  ;  twenty-seven  miles  of  the  second  track 
have  been  completed  ;  the  permanent  way  has 
been  graded  for  the  additional  distance  of  thirty 
miles,  on  which  the  rails  will  be  laid  as  soon  as 
they  arrive  from  England,  where  they  were  pur¬ 
chased  on  account  of  inability  to  procure  them 
in  this  country,  and  the  work  will  be  consum- 
mated  with  the  utmost  diligence. 


£  in 


4 


The  Susquehanna  Ferry  will  be  superseded 
by  the  erection  of  a  bridge  at  that  point,  for 
which  undertaking  the  soundings  and  surveys 
have  already  been  completed,  the  land  for  the  ap¬ 
proaches  and  the  right  of  way  have  been  secured, 
a  large  quantity  of  stone  has  been  quarried  and 
dressed,  two  piers  have  been  constructed,  one 
of  which  was  built  in  water  forty-two  feet 
deep,  and  the  foundations  of  five  other  piers 
and  one  abutment  have  been  prepared.  There 
will  be  required  thirteen  piers,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  apart,  and  two  abutments.  The  sub¬ 
structure  will  be  finished  during  the  present 
year  in  case  the  requisite  materials .  and  work¬ 
men  can  be  procured,  and  it  is  anticipated  that 
the  bridge  will  be  ready  for  travel  in  1865. 

An  improved  mode  of  transit  through  Phila¬ 
delphia,  for  some,  of  the  through  trains,  has 
lately  been  introduced  to  obviate  the  transfer 
of  passengers  and  baggage  from  one  railroad 
to  the  other  by  street  cars  or  ferry. 

This  railway  connection  is  temporary  in  its 
nature,  and  although  a  decided  improvement 
over  the  previous  arrangement,  it  is  designed 
to  be  used  for  a  few  months  only,  when  the 
Junction  Rail  Road  will  be  completed. 


5 


This  railroad  is  located  on  the  West  bank  of 
the  river  Schuylkill,  and  extends  from  the  Phil- 
adelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Rail  Road 
near  Gray’s  Ferry  to  the  Richmond  Branch  of 
the  Reading  Rail  Road,  and,  when  finished, 
trains  will  pass  through  the  rural  districts  of 
Philadelphia  without  interruption  or  delay. 

The  Junction  Rail  Road  would  have  been 
finished  during  the  last  year  but  for  the  in¬ 
vasion  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  emergency 
the  engineers  and  workmen  were  sent  to  the 
interior  of  the  State  to  lay  out  and  build 
fortifications,  and,  moreover,  an  extensive 
earthwork,  designed  for  city  defence,  was 
erected  upon  the  line  of  the  railroad,  which 
caused  a  delay  of  four  months  in  the  work  of 
construction  at  that  point. 

A  railroad,  known  as  the  Connecting  Rail¬ 
way,  has  been  located  and  commenced  to  unite 
the  Junction  with  the  Philadelphia  and  Trenton 
Rail  Road,  and  when  finished,  the  line  through 
Philadelphia  will  be  faultless  ;  in  the  mean¬ 
time  the  Richmond  Branch  of  the  Reading  Rail 
Road  will  be  used  as  the  connecting  link  be- 
tween  the  two  railroads. 

The  improvements  of  the  railroad  between 


6 


Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  effected  within  the 
last  year,  involved  the  expenditure  of  five  hun¬ 
dred  thousand  dollars,  while  those  in  progress, 
to  be  completed  within  the  next  two  years,  will 
require  an  outlay  of  fifteen  hundred  thousand 
dollars  more,  and  then  this  railroad  will  be 
excelled  by  none  in  the  country  for  safety, 
expedition  and  comfort. 

In  addition  to  the  improvements  of  the 
permanent  way,  liberal  expenditures  have 
been  made  to  provide  for  the  welfare  and 
convenience  of  travelers,  and  the  equipment 
and  furniture  of  the  several  railroads  forming 
the  route  between  Washington  and  New  York 
have  been  largely  augmented.  In  common 
with  other  railroads,  however,  the  companies 
have  experienced  the  utmost  difficulty  in  pro¬ 
curing  locomotives  and  cars  in  consequence  of 
the  immense  demand  created  partly  by  the 
requirements  of  the  Government. 

At  an  early  date  thirty  passenger  cars  were 
ordered  expressly  for  the  through  trains ;  these 
cars  were  to  be  built  in  the  most  approved 
style,  with  every  appliance  for  comfort  and 
luxury  and  to  be  delivered  early  in  December, 
but  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  material  and 


7 


labor  the  contractors  were  unable  to  complete 
them  at  the  stipulated  time.  Nor  have  they  as 
vet  been  able  to  deliver  them. 

t / 

It  is  the  settled  policy  of  the  several  com¬ 
panies  to  enlarge  and  improve  their  rolling 
stock  and  furniture  and  render  their  line 
unexceptionable  in  all  its  appointments. 

The  anomalous  state  of  affairs  resulting 
from  the  war  has  produced  a  marked  effect 
upon  railroads.  The  demand  for  men  for  the 
army  and  navy  has  caused  a  scarcity  of  work¬ 
men,  and  the  enhanced  wages  of  laborers  have 
rendered  them  indifferent  to  constant  employ¬ 
ment.  The  construction  of  an  immense  fleet 
for  naval  service,  and  the  rebuilding,  repairs 
and  operation  of  railroads  by  the  Government 
have  withdrawn  vast  supplies  of  raw  mate¬ 
rials,  manufactured  articles  and  skilled  labor, 
from  private  parties. 

Engine-drivers  and  machinists  have  entered 
the  Government  service  and  their  places  have 
necessarily  been  supplied  by  men  possessing 
less  skill  and  experience.  The  loss  of  so  many 
of  these  trained  men  and  the  substitution  of 
less  experienced  employes  have  tended  to  de- 


.  8 

range  railroad  operations  generally  and  inter¬ 
fered  with  their  proper  management. 

The  scarcity  of  raw  materials,  the  demand 
for  railway  equipment  and  supplies,  and  the 
extensive  employment  of  skilled  labor  by  the 
Government,  not  only  augment  prices  but  in¬ 
duce.  the  use  of  inferior  materials  and  the 
employment  of  less  skilful  workmen  in  the 
manufacture  of  locomotives,  cars,  rails  and 
equipments. 

Such  defective  materials  and  workmanship 
have  proved  a  prolific  source  of  accidents 
and  caused  irregularity  and  confusion  in  the 
movements  of  trains,  for  which  the  railroad 
managers  are  personally  censured,  notwith¬ 
standing  they  strain  every  nerve  and  lavish 
money  to  overcome  the  difficulties  incident  to 
the  disturbed  condition  of  the  country. 

During  the  year  this  Company  purchased 
eight  locomotives  at  enormous  prices,  most  of 
which  proved  to  be  inferior  in  material  and 
workmanship.  In  consequence  of  their  defec¬ 
tive  construction,  five  accidents  have  occurred 
within  the  past  two  months  from  the  breaking 
of  tires  and  wheels;  some  of  these  mishaps 


9 


occurred  within  a  few  days  after  the  engines 
were  placed  on  the  road. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  the  western  span 
and  draw  of  Gray’s  Ferry  Bridge  were  burned, 
causing  a  derangement  in  the  movement  of  * 
trains,  and,  as  a  temporary  expedient,  com¬ 
pelling  the  use  of  portions  of  two  other  rail¬ 
roads  and  the  transfer  of  passengers  and  lug¬ 
gage  a  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
one  train  to  the  other.  The  construction  of 
an  alternative  connection,  to  serve  until  the 
bridge  should  be  repaired,  was  immediately 
commenced,  and  in  seven  days  and  nights 
nearly  a  mile  of  railroad  was  built,  requiring 
extensive  excavation  and  trestlework.  During 
that  period,  stormy  weather  prevailed  for  two 
days  and  nights,  and  Christmas  and  Sunday 
intervened,  while  the  men  were  induced  to 
work  only  upon  payment  of  double  wages  for 
night  work,  Christmas  and  Sunday.  The 
re-opening  of  Gray’s  Ferry  Bridge,  which 
has  been  repaired,  furnishes  two  railroad  ap¬ 
proaches  to  Philadelphia,  and  in  the  event  of 
a  similar  casualty  hereafter,  the  transit  of 
trains  to,  from  and  around  the  citv  will  suffer 
little  interruption. 


2 


10 


Before  the  laborers  had  recovered  from  their 
fatigue  and  exposure  in  building  the  tem¬ 
porary  connection,  they  were  summoned  to 
contend  with  an  ice-freshet  which  obstructed 
the  passage  of  the  ferry-boat  across  the  Sus¬ 
quehanna  river,  and  defied  for  a  few  hours  all 
attempts  to  cross. 

No  sooner  had  this  difficulty  been  overcome 
than  a  second  ice-freshet  was  precipitated  upon 
us,  interrupting  for  several  hours  the  transit 
of  the  boat,  and  when  this  impediment  was 
surmounted,  the  weather  became  intensely  cold, 
and  a  strong  north-west  wind  forced  the  water 
out  of  the  Susquehanna,  causing  the  ice  to 
form  in  large  masses  upon  the  flats ;  this  ice 
was  carried  up  the  stream  by  the  reflux  of  the 
tide,  and  a  considerable  quantity  adhered  to 
the  hull  of  the  boat,  causing  it  to  ground  in 
eleven  feet  of  water,  although  its  draught, 
when  loaded,  is  only  five  and  a  half  feet. 
This  obstruction  resisted  our  efforts  from  2| 
A.  M.,  to  4J  P.  M.,  on  Sunday,  January  3d, 
when  we  succeeded  in  floating  the  boat  and 
landing  the  passengers. 

The  unusual  severity  of  the  weather  has 
seriously  impeded  all  railroad  operations  and 


11 


rendered  high  speed  exceedingly  unsafe.  At 
such  times,  accidents  are  of  frequent  occur¬ 
rence,  resulting  from  inevitable  causes. 

Excessive  labor  and  exposure  disabled  a 
number  of  our  best  men ;  the  road-master 
was  ordered  away  by  his  physician;  the 
General  Superintendent  was  confined  to  his 
house,  in  a  critical  condition,  for  a  number  of 
days,  worn  out  with  anxiety  and  over-exertion, 
and  several  others,  whose  services  were  almost 
indispensable,  were  absent  from  duty  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  sickness  and  exhaustion  induced  by 
unremitting  toil  and  exposure  during  the  last 
month  or  more  ;  while  in  addition  to  my  own 
official  duties,  I  was  obliged  to  perform  the 
task  of  one  or  two  others,  although  personally 
suffering  from  fatigue,  anxiety  and  exposure. 

The  failure  of  the  mails  and  passengers  to 
arrive  with  their  usual  promptness,  and  the 
discomforts  to  which  travelers  have  been 
subjected,  have  not  resulted  from  a  want  of 
exertion  on  the  part  of  the  railroads  or  their 
officers.  In  other  sections  of  the  country  the 
railroads  have  suffered  with  equal  severity 
from  the  same  causes  that  have  impeded  our 
own.  In  some  of  the  Western  States,  in  con- 


12 


sequence  of  the  inclemency  of  the  weather, 
operations  were  wholly  suspended  for  several 
days  in  succession;  the  progress  of  trains 
was  arrested  on  the  prairies  by  snow-drifts, 
and  passengers  were  exposed  to  cold  and 
hunger  for  hours,  and  narrowly  escaped  with 
their  lives,  the  limbs  of  several  having  been 
frozen. 

Numerous  accidents  of  a  serious  nature 
have  resulted  from  the  breaking  of  machinery 
and  rails,  caused  by  the  inferior  quality  of 
materials  and  the  intense  cold,  and  yet  these 
accidents,  numerous  and  severe  as  they  were, 
escaped  the  notice  of  members  of  Congress,  • 
because  they  did  not  happen  on  the  line  be¬ 
tween  Washington  and  New  York. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances,  a  railroad  can 
not  be  managed  with  its  usual  promptness,  " 

regularity  and  comfort  in  the  winter,  and  es¬ 
pecial  allowance  should  be  made  for  the 
derangement  of  railroads  during  the  present 
season,  when,  in  addition  to  the  disadvantages 
of  snow,  ice  and  inclement  weather,  they  suffer 
from  a  scarcity  of  equipments  and  employes, 
and  casualties  result  from  the  inferior  quality 


13 


of  the  locomotives,  cars,  rails  and  supplies 
which  are  now  manufactured. 

The  exercise  of  vigilant  caution,  the  profuse 
expenditure  of  money,  and  a  zealous  determi¬ 
nation  to  subserve  the  interests  of  the  public 
are  baffled  by  the  elements  and  the  disturbing 
influence  of  the  National  convulsion. 

It  is,  however,  a  source  of  gratulation  that 
not  a  single  mishap  on  this  railroad  has  re¬ 
sulted  in  the  loss  of  life  or  limb. 

In  a  recent  debate  in  the  House  of  Repre¬ 
sentatives,  one  of  the  members  alleged,  on  the 
authority  of  some  anonymous  individual,  that 
the  railroad  companies  between  Washington 
and  New  York  had  practiced  extortion  on 
the  Government. 

This  accusation  is  utterly  unfounded,  and  the 
company,  which  I  represent,  courts  the  most 
rigid  investigation  of  its  conduct  in  its  relation 
to  the  public  service. 

As  early  as  the  month  of  December,  1860,  I 
anticipated  the  outbreak  of  the  insurrection, 
and  deeming  it  impracticable,  in  that  event,  to 
forward  troops,  for  the  protection  of  Wash¬ 
ington  through  the  City  of  Baltimore,  I  became 


14 


convinced  that  the  only  feasible  route  to  the 

«/ 

Capital  would  be  by  the  way  of  Annapolis. 

The  result  of  my  investigation,  together  with 
a  map  and  memoranda  bearing  on  the  subject, 
I  transmitted  by  special  messenger  to  General 
Scott,  at  Washington.  On  the  13th  of  April, 
1861,  I  again  communicated  to  that  officer,  the 
information  in  my  possession,  of  a  plot  to 
destroy  the  railroad  bridges  between  Baltimore 
and  the  Susquehanna  river.  Six  days  after¬ 
wards,  the  Sixth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts 
was  assailed  on  its  passage  through  Baltimore, 
the  railroad  Bridge  at  Canton  was  destroyed  by 
lire;  a  train  of  cars  was  seized  by  a  lawless 
band  led  by  J.  R.  Trimble,  now  a  Major  General 
in  the  Confederate  service,  who  proceeded  to 
burn  the  bridges  over  Bush,  Gunpowder  and 
Back  rivers,  and  thus  effectually  severed  all 
railway  communication  between  the  Susque¬ 
hanna  river  and  Baltimore.  Late  at  night, 
in  company  with  Admiral  Du  Pont,  and  my 
brother,  whom  I  had  requested  to  accompany 
me,  I  called  upon  General  Butler,  who  had 
arrived  at  Philadelphia  that  evening  with  the 
Eighth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  and  informed 
the  General  that  I  had  received  a  telegram 


15 


from  the  Mayor  and  Police  Commissioners 

%j 

of  Baltimore,  requesting  me  to  send  no  more 
troops  through  Baltimore  or  Maryland,  to  which 
the  General  replied,  that  “if  Colonel  Lefferts 
(of  the  Seventh  Eegiment  of  New  York) 
will  join  me,  we  will  fight  our  way  through 
Baltimore.”  I  told  the  General  that,  from 
information  received  from  our  detectives,  the 
bridges  between  the  Susquehanna  river  and 

Baltimore  would  be  destroyed  before  he  could 

§ 

arrive  at  Havre  de  Grace,  and  urged  him  to  go 
to  Washington  by  way  of  Annapolis,  embarking 
at  Perryville,  for  which  purpose  I  tendered  him 
the  use  of  the  Company’s  ferry  boat  Maryland. 
I  advised  him  to  take  and  hold  possession  of 
the  railroad  from  Annapolis  to  Washington,  and 
promised  to  forward  reinforcements  and  sup¬ 
plies.  Admiral  Hu  Pont  explained  to  the 
General  that  he  could  land  at  the  grounds  of 
the  Naval  Academy  under  cover  of  the  frigate 
Constitution.  These  considerations  induced  the 
General  to  adopt  the  proposed  route  to  Wash¬ 
ington,  and  accordingly  his  command  embarked 
the  next  day  on  our  ferry  boat  Maryland,  and 
proceeded  to  Annapolis. 

Being  cut  off  from  all  intercourse  with  the 


16 


authorities  at  Washington,  J.  Edgar  Thomson, 
Esq.,  and  myself,  on  our  individual  responsi¬ 
bility,  collected  all  the  available  transports  at 
Perryville  to  forward  troops  and  supplies. 
Provisions  were  procured  at  the  expense  of  the 
railroad  company  and  sent  to  the  soldiers  at 
Annapolis.  Engines,  cars,  railroad  iron,  coal, 
horses,  carts,  and  laborers  were  furnished  by 
myself  and  dispatched  to  General  Butler.  The 
expenditures  incurred  by  the  Railroad  Com¬ 
pany,  on  my  personal  accountability,  amounted 
to  many  thousand  dollars,  and  I  did  not  hesi¬ 
tate  to  inquire  whether  the  amount  would  be 
refunded  or  not.  The  safety  of  the  Capital 
was  the  paramount  object. 

On  the  23d  day  of  April,  1861,  I  telegraphed 
to  the  Governors  of  Massachusetts,  New  York, 
Rhode  Island,  Maine,  Connecticut,  and  New 
Hampshire,  urging  them  to  hasten  forward 
troops  and  supplies  to  Annapolis. 

In  a  letter  to  me,  dated  “War  Department, 
April  25tli,  1861,”  the  Secretary  of  War  thus 
acknowledged  the  value  of  the  services  ren¬ 
dered  in  this  emergency: — “I  hasten  to  express 
my  thanks  for  your  energetic,  patriotic  and 
prompt  conduct,  in  connection  with  Messrs. 


17 


Thomson  and  Sanford,  in  pushing  forward  men 
and  supplies  for  the  defence  of  the  Capital. 
Let  me  assure  you  that  this  Department  has 
the  highest  appreciation  of  your  meritorious 
conduct,  and  that  the  Government  will  assume, 
fully,  the  pecuniary  responsibility  which  you 
have  incurred.” 

Instead  of  charging  “four  times  the  usual 
rates  for  Government  service,”  as  has  been 
falsely  alleged,  this  Company,  in  connection 
with  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad,  vol¬ 
untarily  reduced  the  price  of  transportation 
for  troops  and  supplies  to  two-thirds  of  their 
usual  rates,  notwithstanding  the  business  of 
the  Government  was  spasmodic  and  generally 
in  one  direction  only,  requiring  empty  trains 
one  way  and  a  large  surplus  of  cars  to  be  kept 
in  readiness  for  the  public  service ;  so  that  in 
reality  the  business  of  the  G  overnment  netted 
the  Company  little  more  than  one-third  the 
revenue  which  would  have  accrued  from  its 
usual  business. 

After  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  fearing  that 
communication  with  Washington  might  a 
second  time  be  interrupted,  I  consulted  with 
Admiral  Du  Pont  and  made  arrangements  to 


18 


re-opcn  the  Annapolis  route  in  case  of  neces¬ 
sity,  which,  fortunately,  was  not  required. 
This  Company,  in  co-operation  with  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  was  the  first  to 
provide  Hospital  Cars  for  the  transportation 
of  sick  and  wounded  officers  and  soldiers,  and 
the  success  of  this  humane  measure  in  allevi¬ 
ating  the  fatigues  and  hardships  of  travel  and 
promoting  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  the 
invalids  on  their  journey,  caused  its  adoption 
in  other  sections  of  the  country. 

Throughout  these  troublous  times,  the  offi¬ 
cers  and  employes  of  the  Philadelphia,  Wil¬ 
mington  and  Baltimore  Railroad  Company, 
together  with  its  equipments  and  entire  re¬ 
sources,  have,  unreservedly,  been  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Government,  and  the 
public  service  has  been  faithfully  performed 
even  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  business 
when  necessary.  No  person  connected  with 
the  Company  has  sought  Government  pat¬ 
ronage  or  been  interested  in  any  contract  or 
derived  a  single  farthing  from  the  public 
service.  The  united  efforts  of  officers  and 
employes  have  been  cheerfully  rendered  to 
sustain  the  Government  in  its  struggle  to 


19 


maintain  the  integrity  of  the  country,  without 
any  expectation  or  desire  of  personal  gain  or 
aggrandizement. 

I  claim  no  merit  for  the  Company  nor  its 
officers  in  performing  the  duty  incumbent  on 
all  good  citizens  to  support  the  Government  in 
times  of  trial  and  danger,  nor  should  I  have 
referred  to  these  matters  except  in  defence  of 
the  Company  against  the  calumnious  charge  of 
unfair  dealings  towards  the  Government. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  war,  a 
project  has  been  devised  to  induce  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  to  build  a  rival  railroad  between 
Washington  and  New  York. 

To  accomplish  their  purpose,  the  originators 
and  advocates  of  the  scheme  have  endeavored 
to  excite  animosity  against  the  existing  route, 
and  the  press  has  teemed  with  abuse,  mis¬ 
statements  and  falsehoods. 

The  non-arrival  of  the  mail  at  the  schedule 
time  serves  as  a  text  for  tirades  against  “the 
Railroad  Monopolies while  a  failure  of  a 
single  train  to  connect  raises  a  clamor  about 
the  discomforts  and  imperfections  of  the  rail¬ 
way  lines.  No  allowance  is  made  for  the 
severity  of  the  weather,  the  scarcity  of  skilled 


20 


labor,  the  prevalence  of  snow  or  ice,  the 
ravages  of  lire,  or  the  inferior  quality  of  the 
materials  and  workmanship  of  railroad  equip¬ 
ments  and  supplies  arising  from  the  Govern¬ 
ment  demand  and  the  exigencies  of  the  times. 

An  impartial  investigation  of  the  subject 
will  show  that  the  existing  route  between 
Washington  and  New  York  is  the  nearest 
practicable  approximation  to  an  air  line,  and 
that  more  favorable  grades  are  unattainable ; 
that  the  railroad  companies  are  unremitting 
in  their  efforts  to  serve  the  Government  and 
accommodate  the  public ;  that  no  expense 
has  been  spared  to  remedy  defects  and  over¬ 
come  impediments ;  that  improvements  are  now 
in  progress,  which  will  require  the  expendi¬ 
ture  of  several  millions  of  dollars,  and  that 
on  their  completion,  the  route  will  be  unsur¬ 
passed  in  continuity,  comfort  and  appointments 
by  any  in  the  country ;  that  in  consequence 
of  the  enhanced  value  of  real  estate,  labor  and 
materials,  a  railroad  between  Washington  and 
New  York  could  not  now  be  built  and  equipped 
by  private  enterprise,  for  less  than  fifty  millions 
of  dollars;  and  if  constructed  by  the  Govern¬ 
ment,  its  cost  would  be  greatly  enhanced ;  that 


21 


the  projected  railroad  could  not  be  finished 
within  four  years,  before  which  time,  national 
tranquility,  it  is  hoped,  will  be  restored,  when 
the  army  will  be  reduced,  and  business  will 
subside  to  its  natural  proportions,  affording 
inadequate  support  for  two  railroads.  In  that 
case  the  United  States  would  not  only  sink 
the  entire  capital  invested  in  the  project,  but 
be  required  to  make  annual  appropriations  to 
defray  the  operating  expenses  of  the  railroad 
and  maintain  a  horde  of  greedy  partisans. 

The  present  route  between  Washington  and 
New  York  through  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore 
is  the  most  direct  line  practicable.  It  varies 
but  little  from  an  air  line,  and  that  only  where 
such  variation  is  necessary  to  retain  the  rail¬ 
road  on  fast  land  and  avoid  running  many 
miles  in  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay, 
through  which  a  straight  line  between  these 
two  cities  would  pass,  from  a  point  consider¬ 
ably  east  of  the  Susquehanna  river  to  a  point 
west  of  Baltimore,  a  distance  of  more  than 
forty  miles,  and  would,  therefore,  be  utterly 
impracticable.  The  nearest  approach,  conse¬ 
quently,  to  a  straight  line  that  can  be  attained 
is  the  existing  route,  passing  through  Phila- 


22 


delphia  and  Baltimore.  Any  route  avoiding 
those  cities  would  not  only  be  longer  than  the 
present  line,  but  would  obtain  a  part  only  of 
the  through  business  between  Philadelphia, 
Baltimore  and  Washington,  and  would  prove 
unproductive  to  its  proprietors  if  they  were 
individuals,  still  more  so  if  owned  by  the 
Government. 

Independent  of  these  considerations,  there 
are  other  grave  objections  to  the  scheme  for 
a  rival  railroad  to  be  constructed  by  the  Gov¬ 
ernment.  With  the  country  burdened  with 
debt  increasing  at  the  rate  of  nearly  two 
millions  of  dollars  per  day,  and  the  industry 
and  property  of  the  citizens  subjected  to 
onerous  taxation  to  sustain  the  national  credit, 
it  would  be  unwise  policy  for  the  Government 
to  embark  in  a  project  of  little  or  no  practical 
utility,  and  involving  an  outlay  exceeding  fifty 
millions  of  dollars.  If  the  Government  were 
in  a  condition  to  engage  in  the  construction 
of  railroads,  the  public  interest  would  be 
better  subserved  by  building  the  Pacific  Rail¬ 
road  and  lines  traversing  the  now  inaccessible 
regions  of  the  West  and  Southwest,  thereby 
opening  immense  tracts  of  fertile  lands  to  set- 


23 


tiers,  and  developing  their  resources  to  the 
advancement  of  the  general  welfare  and  pros¬ 
perity,  rather  than  by  building  rival  railroads 
through  populous  districts  already  provided, 
by  private  enterprise,  with  facilities  for  inter¬ 
communication. 

It  is  not,  moreover,  a  legitimate  function  of 

Government  to  enter  into  competition  with 

private  enterprise,  to  sacrifice  vested  rights 

and  destroy  capital  expended  by  its  citizens 

upon  works  of  public  improvement  conducive 

to  the  growth,  development  and  wealth  of  the 

countrv. 

«/ 

If  a  national  route  between  Washington  and 
New  York  be  deemed  a  public  necessity,  and 
it  be  the  legitimate  province  of  the  Govern¬ 
ment  to  own  such  a  route,  it  should  be  the 
policy  of  the  Government  to  purchase  the 
existing  railroads  and  establish  them  as  a 
military  and  post  road.  They  could  doubtless 
be  obtained  at  less  cost  than  a  new  line,  and 
would  yield  an  immediate  revenue  to  the  Gov¬ 
ernment,  whereas  the  establishment  of  an 
independent  route  would  involve  the  loss  of 
four  years’  interest  upon  the  capital  invested 
without  any  income,  and  would  be  of  no 


2  098480947 


24 

utility  to  the  Government  in  the  present  exi¬ 
gencies. 

Such  purchase  would  he  a  simple  act  of 
justice  to  the  stockholders  whose  enterprise 
and  liberality  have  created  these  public  works 
and  whose  property  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
Government  to  protect  and  not  annihilate ; 
it  would  also  be  treating  with  proper  respect 
the  rights  and  interests  of  the  several  states 
and  cities  owning  stock  and  bonds  of  these 
Companies,  from  which  they  derive  an  annual 
revenue. 

Faithfully  yours, 

S.  M.  FELTON, 

President  P.  W  &  B.  R.  R.  Co. 


